Seth Rogen and Catherine O’Hara in a scene from The Studio.Apple TV+
The Studio, a new Apple TV+ comedy premiering on March 26, is a love letter to American filmmaking – with a lot of Canadian talent behind it.
The 10-episode series set in a satirical version of Hollywood is directed and written by long-time comedic partners Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg – whose production company Point Grey Pictures is named after the Vancouver high school where they met in the 1990s.
Rogen stars as Matt Remick, the insecure, newly appointed head of the fictional Continental Studios, while Catherine O’Hara, the legend from SCTV to Schitt’s Creek, co-stars as Patty Leigh, the studio’s former head who has been unceremoniously ousted. (Among the many filmmakers playing themselves is Sarah Polley –who stars in a particularly memorable meta-episode about “oners” that is itself shot in a single long take.)
Television critic J. Kelly Nestruck spoke with Rogen and O’Hara over Zoom about Canadians commenting on American culture – and whether boycott movements are being noticed in Hollywood.
Obviously, you two both come from Canada – you have dual citizenship. It felt like there was a Canadian nod in almost every episode of The Studio – like the use of Gordon Lightfoot’s song If You Could Read My Mind …
Seth Rogen: It was a Canadian heavy show.
Catherine O’Hara: Sarah Polley!
Rogen: Me and Evan are Canadians, just a lot a lot of Canadiana.
In terms of the relationship between the Canadian film industry and the American industry, there can be a sort of an outsider-insider perspective. Do you feel that’s reflected in this show?
Rogen: Evan and I, honestly, have come up within the American Hollywood industry – we’ve been very lucky to have, in many ways. I actually have very little experience in the Canadian production side of things. I think, as Canadians, generally we are skilled at kind of commenting on American culture and making comedy out of it. But I actually don’t know very much about, specifically, the Canadian side of filmmaking.
O’Hara: Get to know it, Seth!
Rogen: I would love to, please.
Well, the next thing Point Grey Pictures is doing is making a show with Bell Media, right.
Rogen: Yes, we just made a deal to produce things in Canada.
O’Hara: Did you?
Rogen: We did.
O’Hara: Excellent.
Rogen: I’m learning on the job, as we speak.
Do you know what that CTV and Crave show is going to be? Can you say anything about it?
Rogen: No, I can’t say anything.
The Studio is a love letter to Hollywood. After what happened in terms of the fires in L.A., it seems a great time for releasing it in the States. But, up here, right now, amid the threats of annexation – I’m sure you know all about it. There’s a backlash against Hollywood going on in Canada.
Rogen: People blame Hollywood for that?
O’Hara: Yeah, I don’t think so.
Rogen: If they do, then their anger is misplaced.
O’Hara: Politicians in Canada have been very good at focusing this on one man here and not Americans. Canadians don’t hate Americans, I don’t believe. Nobody I know does. No, it’s one person and their party.
Rogen: Yeah, and I think if any group of people traditionally is on the side of not that it’s Hollywood people.
O’Hara: And if you are for some reason against Hollywood, then you’ll be happy to see the failure that happens on this show.
Rogen: Yeah, if you hate Hollywood, this is the show for you.
O’Hara: Watch ‘em suffer.
There is an active Buy Canadian, boycott American thing going on that includes the streamers. I hear every day from Globe and Mail readers who are cancelling their Netflix or their Prime or their Apple TV in protest. Has any of that registered in L.A. yet?
O’Hara: That’s part of the whole “Buy Canadian, support Canadian” thing, isn’t it?
I think so.
O’Hara: Yeah, it’s just one of the many industries that Canadians, you know, have funded.
Rogen: Exactly.
O’Hara: I think it’s lovely: one good thing from this insanity is Canadians appreciating themselves and each other – and that Canadian industries will grow, and small businesses will grow. That’s wonderful.
Rogen: It’s true.
O’Hara: Canadians are not traditionally nationalists.
Rogen: No, not at all.
O’Hara: It’s nice to have a bit of it. And it’ll go away. And we’ll get back to normal.
Rogen: Yes.
O’Hara: But for now …
Rogen: Indulge in it!
O’Hara: It’s very unifying.
Sorry, don’t want to throw too much politics …
O’Hara: Oh no, believe me. I’m thinking about it every day.
Rogen: Yeah.
O’Hara: Really, every day. I can’t wait to get there.
This show does reflect the reality of the integration of creatives from both sides of the border. One of the most inspiring things for Canadians that’s happened so far was on American TV, with Mike Myers doing his “elbows up” gesture on SNL. Did you see that?
O’Hara: Oh yeah. With the T-shirt: Not for sale.
Rogen: Yeah, that was great.
This interview has been edited and condensed
